New York Mets' Justin Turner (2) is congratulated by Daniel Murphy (28) after Turner scored on a David Wright's ground out in the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Tuesday, July 26, 2011, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/David Kohl)Justin Turner is congratulated by Daniel Murphy after Turner scored on a David Wright's ground out in the first inning. (credit: AP Photo/David Kohl)

CINCINNATI (WFAN/AP) — Every time the Reds threw one away, someone else would make them pay.

Jason Pridie put New York ahead with a two-run double, and the Mets took advantage of one of Cincinnati’s worst defensive performances of the season, beating the Reds 8-6 on Tuesday.

The Mets scored six unearned runs off Johnny Cueto (6-4) with the help of three errors, matching the Reds’ high for a game. Each misplay led to a pair of runs and helped the Mets beat the Reds’ toughest starter.

“That’s huge,” Pridie said. “When you’re allowed extra outs in any game, more than 27, that’s a key. You see what happened. We were facing one of the elite pitchers. To do what we did — that’s what this team’s been doing all year.”

Jonathon Niese (10-8) went five innings for the win, which moved the Mets back above .500 at 52-51.

The Reds traded left fielder Jonny Gomes to Washington for two minor leaguers shortly before the start of the game, then had trouble getting going. Manager Dusty Baker thinks there might have been a connection.

“Probably so,” Baker said. “He was a big part of our family and a popular guy on the team. You can’t always control the timing on something like that.”

The Reds have one of the NL’s best defenses, but repeatedly kicked the ball around in an all-around ragged showing. Cincinnati fell three games under .500, matching its season low.

David Wright continued his hitting surge since returning from a stress fracture in his lower back. The cleanup hitter had two more hits and drove in a run, improving to 10 for 24 with seven RBIs in his five games back.

Gomes was supposed to start in left field — he’s 3 for 7 career with a homer off Niese — but was scratched when the trade was completed shortly before the start. The Reds gave away Gomes bobbleheads three days earlier.

For the first three innings, the Reds beat themselves up. In one moment that summed it up, Bruce hit a foul ball that bounced up and smacked him on the left side of the helmet.

A rested MVP provided their only shining moment.

Votto got a day out of the lineup in the series opener because he looked sluggish. His two-run homer — his first since the All-Star break — put the Reds up 5-4 in the fifth.

Niese, who became New York’s first 10-game winner, inexplicably lost his control in the fifth, making it his final inning.

“I felt good early,” Niese said. “In the fifth inning, I just lost command. All my pitches were up. When your offense gives you a lead like that, you don’t want to give it up. Unfortunately it was one of those days, one of those innings.”

(TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)